A: It’s a short shot of espresso (it means “restricted” in Italian). Made using the same amount of ground coffee as a standard espresso, with half the amount of water run through it. In terms of measurement, an espresso is usually around a 1:2 ratio of coffee to water (e.g. 20g coffee to make 40g of espresso), where a ristretto would be 1:1 (e.g. 20g coffee to produce 20g)

Q: OK, so it’s just a stronger espresso then is it?

A: Yes and No. It is more concentrated, but the smaller quantity of water also extracts a different balance of flavours from the ground coffee. Along with being thick & syrupy, a ristretto will highlight the fruit acids which extract first, while a standard espresso (apart from being less heavy) will bring in more of the sweet and bitter compounds which extract later.

Q: Enough fancy talk, just tell me which one tastes better?

A: Sorry, that depends on preference: Some people love the whisky-like intensity of a ristretto, while others find it to be salty & dry. Some people love the ‘balance’ of a standard espresso, while others find it (comparatively) thin. There’s really only one way to work that out for yourself…

Q: If I ask for ristretto, will the coffee I get at my local cafe taste even better?